3 September 2026
Anthropic releases Claude system prompts and enables background Mac use
First reported
Simon Willison ran this on , a day before the next source picked it up.
- Claude can now operate Mac applications in the background on Pro and Max plans, clicking and typing in approved apps while users do other work.
- Anthropic published the instructions it gives Claude on its model pages, including past versions, so anyone can see how the company has changed Claude's behavior over time.
- Both features are available now to existing Claude subscribers without additional cost.
Where they differ
The Neuronfocused on the practical Mac automation feature.
Simon Willisonemphasized the transparency value of publishing system prompts. Both newsletters reported separate announcements; they did not disagree on facts.
What each one reported
Anthropic gave Claude background computer use capabilities in Cowork and Claude Code on Mac, allowing Pro and Max users to let Claude click, type, and operate approved apps while they work on other tasks.
Anthropic now publishes system prompts for Claude consumer applications on individual model pages with historical versions, making them easy to diff and accessible to LLMs via Markdown conversion. The newsletter emphasizes this transparency as a positive practice that allows tracking how Anthropic shapes Claude's behavior over time.